Initiatives to increase student Engagement in first-year ICT

Abstract

There is widespread concern about lack of student engagement in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) courses and the influence of this on learning outcomes, retention, and the student experience overall. Lack of engagement is particularly concerning for first-year students, who are developing their study behaviours for the remainder of their degree programs. This study seeks to report on the myriad of current initiatives in Australian universities to increase ICT student engagement. This is explored for both in-class teaching innovations and the support structures with which students interface academically and administratively. The study draws upon data collected from interviews of 30 academics involved with the design and delivery of the first-year learning experience of ICT students in 25 Australian universities. Analysis of this data has provided a comprehensive overview of current initiatives to address student engagement. These covered a range of academic and non-academic aspects of the student experience. Our findings highlight the unique challenges that our first-year ICT students face and we recommend areas for further investigation.